Migration Policy Practice (Vol. V, Number 4, October –November 2015)

The new issue of Migration Policy Practice focuses on the current migrant crisis in Europe.

The first article, by Alex Wittlif (Expert Council of German Foundations on Integration and Migration, Sachverständigenrat deutscher Stiftungen für Integration und Migration (SVR)), examines the current methods for measuring the levels of integration of immigrants in Europe. The article discusses, in particular, Germany’s SVR Integration Barometer, which is based on a survey conducted every two years among both immigrants and German nationals. The Barometer provides a description of perception patterns and an examination of previously unconsidered integration processes. It is targeted at both policymakers and integration practitioners.

The second article, by Ahsan Ullah (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Brunei Darussalam) discusses the situation of Syrian separated children fleeing war. The article summarizes the key findings of in-depth interviews conducted with officials of different organizations working on the ground in the Syrian Arab Republic, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan. The study shows that many of the unaccompanied Syrian children were slipped into the hands of smugglers and traffickers and that most of those who were trafficked were unaware of their final destinations.

The third article, by Joanne van Selm (Eurasylum), questions the reasons why the European Union (EU) Temporary Protection Directive has not yet been implemented in the context of the current migrant crisis in Europe. The Directive provides for Member States to agree, by qualified majority, that a named national group should qualify for temporary protection starting from a specified date. The article suggests that it is high time for the Directive to be considered by EU leaders in the context of the ongoing Syrian influx.

The last article, by Claudia Natali and Michael Newson (International Organization for Migration (IOM)), outlines the IOM approach to addressing the complex migration flows in the Mediterranean. The organization’s position is that while legal migration channels should remain a central feature of any policy response aimed at reducing irregular migration, this is only one of a number of complementary interventions that governments must work on to address irregular migration. IOM believes, in particular, that any policy aimed at addressing seriously the challenges posed by irregular migration should include initiatives to improve resilience by building sustainable and decent livelihood and employment opportunities for the youth, and should raise awareness to promote safe migration and deter irregular migration.

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